Choosing the right block of land is one of the most consequential decisions in the entire home building process. Get it right and everything that follows becomes easier. Get it wrong and even the best home design will struggle to deliver the lifestyle you were hoping for. The land you build on affects your budget, your design options, your energy efficiency, your connection to the neighbourhood, and ultimately how much you enjoy living there every day. At Ross North Homes, with over 45 years of experience building homes across Perth, we always encourage our clients to approach land selection with just as much care as they bring to choosing their home design.
Related reading: 5 Questions you should ask yourself before choosing a block of land
Perth’s land market is diverse, with options ranging from established suburbs close to the city to new estates on the outer fringe, each with its own set of advantages and considerations. Understanding what to look for before you commit to a purchase will save you time, money, and frustration further down the track.
Start With Location and Lifestyle
Before you look at any specific block, it is worth being clear about the lifestyle you want and which parts of Perth support it. Proximity to work, schools, shops, parks, and public transport are all factors that will shape your day-to-day experience of living in a new home. A beautiful block in a location that does not suit your lifestyle will eventually feel like a compromise, no matter how well the house itself turns out.
Think about where you spend most of your time outside the home and map your preferred suburbs around those places. Consider which direction your commute runs and whether the location you are considering will work with or against your daily routine. Once you have a shortlist of suburbs or corridors that genuinely suit your lifestyle, you can begin evaluating individual blocks with much greater clarity.
Understand the Size and Shape You Need
Block size and shape have a direct bearing on what you can build and how the finished home will feel. Larger blocks give you more flexibility in terms of design, outdoor space, and setbacks, but they also come at a higher cost and may require more ongoing maintenance. Smaller or narrower blocks can work very well with the right design, but they place greater demands on the floor plan to make the most of the available space.
The width of the block is particularly important. Most standard home designs require a minimum frontage to work well, and narrow blocks may require a specifically designed narrow lot home to achieve the living spaces and features you want. Before falling in love with a block, confirm with your builder that the designs you are interested in are suitable for its dimensions and that any constraints imposed by the lot size can be worked around without significant compromise.
Orientation: Setting Your Home Up for Success
Orientation is one of the most important characteristics of any block of land in Perth. A north-facing block, where the rear of the property faces north, allows the main living areas and outdoor spaces to receive northern sun throughout the day. This is highly desirable in Perth’s climate, as it supports passive heating in winter, natural cooling in summer, and a more comfortable and energy-efficient home overall.
While north-facing blocks are generally the most sought after, a skilled builder can design a comfortable and well-performing home on any orientation. What matters most is that the floor plan is designed specifically for the block rather than applied generically regardless of how the land sits. Discussing orientation with your builder before purchasing land helps you understand how a specific block will influence your design options and ongoing energy costs.
Check the Slope and Soil Conditions
The physical characteristics of a block have a significant impact on site costs, which are the costs associated with preparing the land for construction. A flat block with stable soil conditions will typically have lower site costs than a sloped or uneven block, or one with reactive or unstable soil. These costs can vary considerably and are worth understanding before you commit to a land purchase.
A soil test, conducted before or shortly after purchase, gives you detailed information about the soil classification and any specific engineering requirements for your block. A sloped block is not necessarily a problem, and in some cases a well-designed split-level home can make excellent use of a challenging site. The key is knowing what you are working with before you finalise your budget and design.
Look Into Covenants, Zoning, and Estate Requirements
Many new land estates in Perth have design guidelines or restrictive covenants that govern what can be built on each lot. These may specify minimum home sizes, approved facade styles, materials, colours, or landscaping requirements. Understanding these restrictions before you purchase is important, as they can affect both your design choices and your budget.
Zoning is another consideration, particularly if you are purchasing land in an established suburb. The zoning of a block determines what can be built on it and under what conditions. Your builder or a conveyancer can help you interpret the relevant zoning provisions and confirm whether the block is suitable for the type of home you want to build.
Involve Your Builder Early in the Process
One of the most valuable things you can do when searching for land is to involve your builder before you make a purchase, not after. An experienced builder can assess a block for suitability, identify any potential issues or cost implications, and advise on which designs will work best for the site. This takes the guesswork out of land selection and gives you far greater confidence that what you are buying will deliver the home you are planning.
At Ross North Homes, with over 45 years of experience building across Perth, we are happy to work with clients at the land selection stage to help them make an informed decision. We know Perth’s land market well and understand how different blocks, suburbs, and estate conditions translate into real outcomes for the families who build on them.
Finding the Right Land for Your New Home
Choosing the right block of land sets the foundation for everything that follows. With the right location, orientation, size, and site conditions, your home design has the best possible chance of delivering the lifestyle you are building towards.
If you are in the process of searching for land and would like guidance on what to look for, or if you want to explore how our home designs work with specific blocks, visit one of our display homes or speak with our team today.
